Issue 1310

28 Oct 2019
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About this issue: Overview

Drag becomes her
Jerick Hoffer is American but believes alter ego Jinkx Monsoon’s type of drag humour is more suited to UK audiences. Which is just as well, says Christian Lisseman, because with British Christmas shows on the way and a new relationship in Manchester, we’ll be seeing more of them.

Down on Skid Row
Salford-born poet and novelist David Constantine admits it  was writer’s curiosity as well as altruism that led him to help homeless people in the 1960s. He looks back on his time with the residents of Skid Row and asks how rough sleeping has changed now.

School’s out of spaces
All they wanted was to send their children to  the local comprehensive school but a group of  Glossop parents were denied even that simple  right. Ciara Leeming reports on a shortage of  school places that’s part of a growing national crisis.

Plus

News from the Turkey-Syria border where Kurdish people are trying to flee to Iraq while the Turkish offensive is suspended. We also have arts and entertainment, Hamilton composer Lin Manuel-Miranda’s letter to his younger self, and columnist Roger Ratcliffe welcoming an end to cruel puppy farms, as well as crossword and Sudoku.